Top 10 of 2018: Best of the Best

As the end of 2018 approaches (rather rapidly, in fact) I’ll be spending the rest of it talking about my “bookish bests” during the Top 10 of 2018 event I’m hosting. Are you interested in joining? Check out the sign-up postfor details.

Oh man, it’s time to talk about the “best of the best” or my favorite reads of 2018. I thought it was tough to pick my favorite covers, couples and characters, but it was nothing compared to this. Though things slowed down in the last quarter of 2018, I had an amazing reading year. I added 78 books to my “most favoritest 2018” shelf on Goodreads. Trying to narrow that down to ten? So, so tough. But, I did it… even if I kinda cheated by including five honorable mentions. ?

The Simple Wild was a special book. It was so much more than a romance. As much as I enjoyed said romance, I was here for Calla’s story and EVERY SINGLE FEEL it gave me. Jonah and Calla were magical together. I’m still not over this book and all the feels it gave me.

Are you sick of seeing The Kiss Quotient on (nearly) all of my lists this year? Sorry, not sorry. This was one of my most highly-anticipated books of 2018 and it exceeded every one of my expectations. It’s a beautiful book. I wouldn’t change a thing about it.

Long Shot is another book that’s making the rounds in my Top 10 of 2018 posts and with good reasons. This wasn’t an easy read. I almost stopped reading it at one point. But I soldiered on — with a quick glance a few chapters ahead — and I’m glad I did. Iris’ story is so very important. The way Kennedy told it was absolutely gorgeous, too.

Professor Feelgood was the perfect combination of tropes, while still having an identity all its own. I was obsessed with this book once I started. Like, sacrificed-at-least-three-steps-in-my-morning-routine-in-favor-of-reading-more obsessed. I loved everything about this book. It made me smile and laugh. It also totally made me cry.

I knew I would love Royally Yours. Me loving a new Emma Chase book is a foregone conclusion. What I didn’t know was just how deep Lenora and Edward would get under my skin and burrow into my heart. They tugged at my heartstrings over and over and obliterated my feels more than once. Lenora and Edward were EVERYTHING. Stories like theirs are why I love reading romance as much as I do.

The Hate U Give is on a whole other level. It’s important, timely and flat-out amazing. I was totally engrossed in it, emotionally invested to a level I can’t even describe. It consumed me for the time it took me to read – and the moments I was away from it. It should be required reading for everyone regardless of age, race or anything else.

At the Stroke of Midnight was hilarious. It’s not all that often that I find myself literally laughing out loud while reading, let alone laughing to the point of tears. Cindy, Ariel, Isabelle and the gang did that to me multiple times. I loved this book and i loved the series overall. It was such a unique retelling. I couldn’t get enough of these characters.

I love a good single mom story and second chance romance is my jam. I didn’t stand a chance against Trailer Park Heart. It grabbed me from the very first few pages and I knew I wasn’t going to get anything done until I finished it. Hooray for “read in one sitting” kind of books! I loved this one.

I fell 1000% in love with Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating as soon as I started reading it. Hazel was delightfully quirky and a perfect opposite to Josh’s more reserved ways. Together they were just amazing. This book was sweet, funny and even packed a bit of an emotional punch. I read it twice before release. That’s how much I loved it.

KA Tucker and Emma Chase are both authors I want to check out!! I discovered Meghan March in 2018 and two of her books made my list as well as Royals by Rachel Hawkins and Times Convert by Deborah Harkness

So much love for The Simple Wild. I fell into that story so hard. I shouldn’t have been surprised (because it’s Tucker) but I got so much more than I bargained for with that one. The Kiss Quotient was another surprise. It was so hyped so I was worried, but I totally adored Michael and Stella. Love and Other Words was another big hit. Love, love, loved Macy and Elliot!